1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a shock absorption device for a ski, such as an alpine ski, a cross-country ski, a mono-ski or a snowboard. It is particularly related to an improvement of this type of device, and is also related to a ski equipped with such a device.
2. Background and Material Information
Skis that are relatively flexible are known.
Further, various types of skis and numerous variations thereof are also known. For example, skis are known to be comprised of a beam of an elongated shape whose front end is curved upwardly to constitute a spatula, the rear end also being curved, but to a lesser degree, to constitute the heel.
Currently known skis generally have a composite structure in which different materials are combined in such a way that each of them cooperates optimally, taking into account the distribution of mechanical stresses during use of the ski. Thus, the structure generally comprises peripheral protection elements, internal resistance elements to resist flexion and torque stresses, and a core. These elements are assembled by adhesion or by injection, the assembly generally being done in a hot mold having the definitive shape of the ski, with a front portion raised substantially in a spatula, a rear portion slightly raised in a heel, and a central arched portion.
Despite manufacturers' concerns for constructing high-quality skis, until now they have not yet found a high-performance ski that is satisfactory in all conditions of use.
Current skis have a certain number of disadvantages, and particularly, they perform unsatisfactorily during oscillation due to the vibrations or the flexions of the ski. Indeed, persistent vibrations result in a loss of adherence and thus lead to bad performance from the ski. Thus, it is extremely important to damp the vibrations, and to this end, various solutions have already been suggested. Notably, for example, the solutions proposed in the French Patent Publication Nos. 2,503,569 and 2,575,393. But these shock absorption devices only have very negligible effects that are imperceptible to the skier.